The Complete Idiot's Guide to Low-Carb Meals

323 Pages·2012·43.149 MB·English

by  Lucy Beale

Fermenting
Foods

by Wardeh Harmon
A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
I dedicate this book to my parents, Ibrahim and Martha Bisharat, who filled my childhood with yogurt,
cheese, olives, and pickles, and who gave me my love for cultured foods.
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Copyright © 2012 by Wardeh Harmon
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Contents
Part 1: The Fermentation Story .............................................1
1 A First Look at Fermentation ....................................3
Fermentation Throughout History ...............................................3
Traditional Fermented Foods ........................................................5
Modern Pickling Methods .............................................................7
Comparing Pickles .......................................................................8
Comparing Sauerkraut ................................................................9
Return to Tradition ......................................................................10
What Can Be Fermented? ...........................................................10
2 What’s in It for You? ..................................................13
A Nutrition Boost .........................................................................13
Vitamins and Minerals ..............................................................14
Enzymes ....................................................................................15
Pre-Digestion ............................................................................16
Anti-Nutrients ..........................................................................16
Great for Your Gut .......................................................................17
Probiotics ...................................................................................17
Immune System .........................................................................18
Benefits Beyond Nutrition ...........................................................19
Flavor and Texture ....................................................................20
Go Low-Tech..............................................................................20
Embrace the Seasons ..................................................................22
How Much to Eat? .......................................................................23
3 How Fermentation Works.........................................25
Three Kinds of Fermentation .....................................................25
The Players ...................................................................................27
Heroes ...........................................................................................28
Beneficial Yeasts .........................................................................28
Beneficial Bacteria .....................................................................29
Beneficial Molds ........................................................................30
Villains ..........................................................................................30
Setting the Stage ..........................................................................31
Protecting the Good Guys ..........................................................32
Salt ............................................................................................32
Starter Cultures ........................................................................33
Limit Oxygen ............................................................................33
Increase Acidity ..........................................................................33
Strength in Numbers .................................................................34
iv The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods
4 The Fermenter’s Toolbox ..........................................35
Equipment and Tools ...................................................................35
Cleanliness and Sanitation .........................................................36
Vessels and Utensils ....................................................................36
Weights ......................................................................................39
Bottles ........................................................................................40
Storage ......................................................................................41
Other Equipment .......................................................................42
Ingredients ....................................................................................42
Foods ..........................................................................................42
Water ........................................................................................43
Salt ............................................................................................44
Starter Cultures ........................................................................45
Methods of a Good Fermentation ...............................................46
Methods of Fermentation ...........................................................46
Basic Brine ................................................................................48
Basic Whey ................................................................................50
Protecting Your Fermentation ....................................................50
All Is Well .................................................................................51
Signs of Trouble .........................................................................53
Part 2: Fermenting the Fruits of the Vine .........................55
5 Vegetables ....................................................................57
Two Ways to Brine .......................................................................57
Garlic Sauerkraut .....................................................................60
Tsukemono .................................................................................61
Kimchi .......................................................................................62
Cortido ......................................................................................63
Carrot Kraut .............................................................................64
Spinach Kraut ...........................................................................65
Garlic-Dill Pickles .....................................................................66
Sweet Pickle Slices ......................................................................67
Bread and Butter Pickles ............................................................68
Spicy Cucumber Pickle Slices ......................................................69
Cucumber Relish ........................................................................70
Spicy Cucumber Relish ...............................................................71
Ginger-Zucchini Relish ..............................................................72
Spicy Zucchini Relish .................................................................73
Corn Relish ................................................................................74
Cherry Tomato Salsa .................................................................75
Contents v
Mild Salsa .................................................................................76
Spicy Salsa .................................................................................77
Carrot Chutney .........................................................................78
Pickled Radishes .........................................................................80
Costa Rican Chilero ...................................................................81
Spinach Sticks ............................................................................82
Asparagus Spears .......................................................................84
Garlic-Carrot Sticks ..................................................................85
Dilly Green Beans .....................................................................86
Pickled Cayenne Pepper ..............................................................87
Pickled Turnips and Beets ..........................................................88
Pickled Garlic ............................................................................89
6 Fruits ..............................................................................91
The Challenges of Sugar .............................................................91
Choosing Sweeteners ...................................................................92
Recipes in This Chapter ..............................................................93
5-Spice Apple Chutney ...............................................................94
Cherry-Walnut-Mint Chutney ..................................................95
Cinnamon-Peach Chutney .........................................................96
Savory Spiced Rhubarb Chutney ................................................97
Cranberry-Orange-Apple Relish ................................................98
Spiced Applesauce .......................................................................99
Plum Sauce ..............................................................................100
Cranberry-Ginger Relish .........................................................101
Raspberry-Mint Preserves .......................................................102
Fig Butter ................................................................................103
Mango Butter ..........................................................................104
Spiced Preserved Lemons ..........................................................105
Pear-Ginger Fruit Leather ......................................................106
7 Condiments ................................................................107
Fermenting Condiments ............................................................107
Mayonnaise ..............................................................................109
Ketchup ....................................................................................110
Criminis ...................................................................................111
Honey-Dill Mustard .................................................................111
Dijon Mustard .........................................................................112
Guacamole ...............................................................................113
Pickled Eggs ..............................................................................114
Fermented Honey ......................................................................115
Spinach Dip ..............................................................................116
vi The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods
Spicy Cilantro Pesto ..................................................................117
Horseradish ...............................................................................118
Olives ......................................................................................119
Hot Chili Sauce........................................................................120
Nut Butter ..............................................................................121
Lemon-Dill Sauce ....................................................................122
Sour Cream and Guacamole Crêpes .........................................122
Clam Dip ................................................................................123
Angel Eggs ...............................................................................124
Wild Red Salmon Salad...........................................................125
8 Nonalcoholic Beverages .........................................127
Brewing Beneficial Beverages ....................................................127
Bottling Natural Sodas ..............................................................128
Veggie Tomato Juice ................................................................130
Snappy Tomato Juice ...............................................................131
Green Veggie Juice ..................................................................132
Beet Kvass ................................................................................133
Beet-Carrot Kvass....................................................................134
Kanji .......................................................................................136
Coconut Water .........................................................................137
Pomegranate Soda ...................................................................138
Lemonade ................................................................................139
Ginger Soda ............................................................................140
Ginger-Rhubarb Soda .............................................................142
Water Kefir .................................................................................143
Basic Water Kefir ....................................................................146
Strawberry Water Kefir ..........................................................148
Lemon-Ginger Water Kefir.....................................................149
Cultured Cream Soda ..............................................................150
Kombucha ...................................................................................151
Green Tea Kombucha ...............................................................152
Spiced Green Tea Kombucha ....................................................153
Honey Kombucha .....................................................................154
9 Alcoholic Beverages ................................................157
Brewing Alcoholic Beverages ....................................................157
Beer in History ...........................................................................158
Alcoholic Fermentation vs. Other Fermentation Types ...........159
The Process of Brewing Alcohol ...............................................160
The Tea ....................................................................................161
The Boil ...................................................................................162
Contents vii
The Chill .................................................................................163
The Aeration ...........................................................................163
The Pitch .................................................................................163
The Primary Ferment .............................................................163
The Bottling ............................................................................164
The Bottle Conditioning ...........................................................164
Brewing Tools and Ingredients .................................................165
Tools and Equipment .................................................................165
Big Sink ...................................................................................165
Bottle Brush..............................................................................165
Sanitizing Solution ...................................................................165
Two-and-a-Half-Gallon Pot .....................................................165
Thermometer ...........................................................................166
Filter Sock ...............................................................................166
Large Strainer .........................................................................166
Five-Gallon Carboy with Airlock .............................................166
Blow-Off Tube .........................................................................166
Funnel .....................................................................................167
Siphoning Tube ........................................................................167
Five-Gallon Bottling Bucket ....................................................167
Bottling Wand .........................................................................167
Bottles ......................................................................................168
Bottle Capper ...........................................................................168
Brewing Ingredients ...................................................................169
Yeasts .......................................................................................169
Herbs .......................................................................................170
Czech Porter ............................................................................172
Scottish Ale ..............................................................................173
Ginger Ale ...............................................................................174
Rosemary Ale ...........................................................................176
Chocolate Lavender Ale ............................................................178
Nettle-Lemon Beer ..................................................................180
10 Beans ............................................................................181
Fermenting of Beans ..................................................................181
Hummus .................................................................................183
Bean Paste ...............................................................................184
Tempeh ....................................................................................185
Natto .......................................................................................186
Mugi Miso ...............................................................................188
Mexican Burrito Roll-Ups .......................................................189
viii The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods
11 Grains ............................................................................191
Sour Dough Is Fermented Dough .............................................191
What’s So Great About Sourdough? .........................................193
Sourdough’s Wild Yeasts and Bacteria ......................................193
It’s All About the Sourdough Starter ........................................194
Getting a Starter Going ..........................................................195
Caring For Your Sourdough Starter ........................................195
Stages of a Sourdough Starter ..................................................196
Using a Sourdough Starter ......................................................197
Grain Notes ................................................................................197
Whole-Wheat Flour ................................................................198
Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour .....................................................199
Whole Spelt Flour ....................................................................199
Other Flours ............................................................................199
Other Soured Grain Dishes.......................................................199
To Cook or Not to Cook? .........................................................200
Sourdough Starter ...................................................................201
Alaska Pancakes .......................................................................202
Waffles ....................................................................................203
Biscuits ....................................................................................204
English Muffins .......................................................................205
Crêpes ......................................................................................206
Impossible Brownies .................................................................207
Chocolate Sourdough Cake .......................................................208
No-Knead Sourdough Bread ....................................................210
Impossible Salmon and Spinach Pie ..........................................212
Basic Whole-Wheat or Spelt Bread ..........................................214
Olive and Feta Swirl Bread .....................................................216
Kefir Sourdough Pizza Crust ..................................................218
Dehydrated Dosa Crackers .......................................................219
Injera .......................................................................................220
Part 3: Surf to Turf Fermenting .........................................221
12 Noncheese Cultured Dairy ....................................223
The Basics of Fermented Dairy .................................................223
Fermention of Dairy—A Process All Its Own .........................225
Acid Curdling ..........................................................................225
Starter Cultures ......................................................................226
Airflow ....................................................................................226
Storage ....................................................................................227